Publications

The Resilience Planning Landscape for Communities and Electric Utilities

Broderick, Robert J.; Jeffers, Robert F.; Jones, Katherine A.; DeMenno, Mercy B.; Kallay, Jennifer K.; Hopkins, Asa H.; Napoleon, Alice N.; Havumaki, Ben H.; hall, Jamie h.; Whited, Melissa W.; Chang, Max &.

Synapse Energy Economics has conducted structured interviews to better characterize the current landscape of resilience planning within and across jurisdictions. Synapse interviewed representatives of a diverse group of communities and their electric utilities. The resulting case studies span geographies and utility regulatory structures and represent a range of threats. They also vary in terms of population density and size. This report summarizes our approach and the findings gleaned from these conversations. All the communities and utilities we interviewed see increased interest in and commitment of resources for energy-related resilience. The risks and consequences these communities and utilities faced in the past, face now, and will face in the future drove them to improve engagement, advance processes, further decision-making, and in many cases invest in projects. While no process used by communities and utilities was the same, the different processes used by communities and utilities allowed each one to make progress in its own way. Several approaches are emerging that can provide good models for other communities and utilities with an interest in improving resilience.